Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
Leah
The vampire army spread out in front of her like a sea of black.
Leah stood on the high walls of the city of New Hope, watching as the future itself evolved in front of her.
Her army was ten thousand strong. Only a handful of vampire soldiers had been left in the other Outland cities to maintain her rule.
While news of restless New Hope citizens reached her ears, Leah knew their cries could do nothing to stop her.
It seemed there was a large portion of the city that didn’t care for the new direction she was taking.
Even with her justification for her actions pegged on the murder of her sister, some of the bleeding hearts still wanted an outside investigation to take place. Others wanted peace talks with Azra.
Leah was lucky this wasn’t up to them. She had mobilized the army and set out before anything could dissuade her plan.
Even now, in the morning sun, her army of vampire soldiers led by Commander Steel marched in unison.
Across their black uniforms they carried an assortment of weapons ranging from mage swords to rifles, but the truth was, they were the real weapons.
The experiments done to them in the palace laboratory had made them so much more than they could ever be as humans.
Off to her left, the mage engine puffed to life.
Purple smoke rose from various stacks as it prepared to join the marching army.
The lead mage engine was now hooked up to a long train of cars.
These cars carried slaves taken from Outland cities to finish the track once they reached the end of the line, as well as supplies for the vampire army.
Horses attached to wagons followed on the right side of the army.
They carried munitions, as well as a substantial supply of blood.
More than a few throats of those who had protested Leah’s actions had been sliced in the last few days and it would have been a shame to waste all of the perfectly good blood.
“You like looking at your little toy soldiers, do you?”
Leah didn’t bother glancing to her right. She had heard Dominic Drencher walk up the steps to the battlements moments before.
“I like looking at a world on the brink of my rule,” Leah agreed. “I take it your employers weren’t interested in taking my side.”
“Like I said, they have bigger problems of their own, dealing with Nephilim and such. But if you’re still willing to have a king by your side, I’m still willing to help.”
Leah finally turned to look at Dominic. She had suspected this would be his request all along, but it was something else to actually hear it come from his mouth. The gall he had was beyond her. Still, if she secured his help, it would be worth it.
“I’m not looking for a king to rule beside me.” Leah looked at his perfectly combed black hair, his flawless skin and fine suit. “You don’t look like you need money. What about status, power?”
“I’m listening.” Dominic picked off a bit of lint from his blue suit. “Go on.”
“I’ll give you the largest piece of land inside New Hope, or wherever in the Outland you would like. You can do with it what you will. How does Duke or Count sound?”
“Hmm … I do like the sound of Count Dominic.”
“Does that mean I can count on you when the fighting starts?”
“I’ll travel with you.” Dominic stared down toward the mage engine with glee. “Let’s go in your fancy new ride. It looks like fun.”
“That can be arranged,” Leah said with a smile. She didn’t move from her spot when Dominic turned to go. “But first, I’d like a little more of a guarantee of your loyalty.”
“Well, loyalty is a strong word. I’m just a hired gun at this point.”
“Still, I’d like your word, and I’d like you to swear to me in the presence of a spell.”
Dominic let a sly smile spread over his lips. He grinned deeper and deeper as thoughts flashed across his eyes. “Really? My word isn’t good enough for you?”
“Not exactly.” Leah reached for her wand. “Do I have your permission?”
“Do what you must, witch.” Dominic shrugged. “It must wear on you to be so distrusting of your comrades.”
“It’s a trait that’s kept me alive for this long.” Leah traced a spell in the air in between them. The faint lines of purple magic held in the air as she outlined the points of a six-sided star. “Now repeat after me.”
“And this spell will what?” Dominic leaned in to stare at Leah through her spell. “Kill me if I don’t follow through on what I promised?”
“That’s the general idea.” Leah grinned, finishing her hex. “Now repeat after me.”
Leah ignored his echo as she worded the spell as airtight as she could make it.
“I, Dominic Drencher, servant of the Fallen, do swear that I will not in any way harm Queen Leah Eckert, nor do anything to lessen her chances of victory. I swear I will do all that is within my power to see her side be victorious during the coming battle with Azra.”
Leah thought for a moment, about to finish the hex, then added one last line. “And I swear to do all I can to kill those named Charlotte Sloan, Aareth Emerson, and Jack Walker.”
When Dominic finished repeating her words, Leah allowed the purple spell lines in front of them to dissipate.
“All right.” Dominic let out an overly dramatic sigh. “Are you happy now? Can we get on the mage engine and go kill people already?”